Dual contact receptacle for printed circuits



Oct. 20, 1959 A. JACKSON ETAL 2,909,755

DUAL CONTACT RECEPTACLE FOR PRINTED CIRCUITS Filed Nov. 22, 1954 Qb illllllliji ml.l||||| lllllm INVENTOR. FINTON JQCKSON BORIS FLJQOKSON ATTbR/vEv DUAL CONTACT RECEPTACLE FOR PRINTED CIRCUITS Queens Village, and Boris A. Jackson, Valley Stream, N .Y.

Anton Jackson,

This invention relates to receptacles for use in con- .junctionwith what are known as printed circuit connectors; More particularly, the invention deals with a receptacle of this type and kind employing dual contacts adapting the receptacle for use in conjunction with different printed circuits disposed on opposed surfaces of the printed circuit strip or sheet.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one end portion of a receptacle, indicating a few contacts mounted therein.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the contacts which we employ.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, we have shown at part of an elongated receptacle, in which a plurality of opposed contacts 11, 11' are mounted.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing, we have indicated at 12 a printed circuit strip or sheet, commonly known in the art, on opposed surfaces of which sheet are independent circuits adapted to register with the opposed contacts 11 and 11. The strip 12 is fed down into a chamber or channel 13 extending longitudinally of the upper portion of the receptacle 10 until the strip 12 strikes a stop 14 near the lower portion of the receptacle, as clearly noted in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

At spaced intervals, the stop 14 has recessed sides, as indicated at 15, 15', and registering with these recessed sides are apertures 16, 16', which open through the lower surface of the receptacle 10, again as clearly seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

As each contact 11, 11' is of the same construction, the brief description of one will apply to both, common structures being primed on the contact 11. Each contact comprises an elongated strip of metal fashioned at one end to form inwardly bowed yieldable circuit engaging ends 17, 17, the upper offset ends 18, 18' of which extend into recesses 10' in the side walls of the chamber 13 to provide yieldable movement of the portions 17, 17 and the flare of these ends 18, 18 forms a free admission throat for guiding the printed circuit strip 12 into the chamber 13, as will be apparent.

Below the bowed portions 17, 17' are pairs of inwardly extending side flanges 19, 19' which extend at right angles to the contact strip into the recesses 15, 15' in keying the contacts 11, 11 against downward movement of the receptacle.

It will also appear, from a consideration of Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, that each of the contacts 11, 11' are disposed in recesses 20, 20' in the side walls of the chamber 13, this structure definitely positioning the contacts against any lateral movement and further spacing the alined contacts one from the other by spacing ribs 2,909,755 Patented Oct. 20, 1259 or walls 21, as noted in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The contacts 11, 11 extenddownwardly through the apertures 16, 16, and adjacent the apertures in spring catches 22, 22', fashioned from the material of the contact strips, as clearly noted in Fig. '4 of the drawing, and these catches are adapted to engagethe lower's'urface of the receptacle 10 and secure the contacts against upward movement in the receptacle, as will be apparent. Whenever desired, the catches 22, 22' can be flexed inwardly into alinement with the remainder of the contact in removal 'of the contact upwardly through the receptacle. The receptacleis made of any suitable insulation material, as will be apparent, and the lower surface of the receptacle is'provided intermediate the contacts 11, 11' with downwardly projecting guard'ribs, as seen at 23 in Figs. 2 and 30f the drawing. At the lower end portion of each contact are elongated apertures 24, 24' for receiving circuit wires which are soldered or otherwise fixed to these apertured ends of the contacts.

- The flanges 19, 19', in addition to securely checking the contacts against downward movement in the receptacle 10, also serve to definitely space the lower portions of the contacts one with respect to the other, while permitting the upper bowed ends 17, 17' to freely flex in establishing positive tensional engagement of these terminal ends 17, 17' with the printed circuits on opposed surfaces of the circuit strip or sheet 12.

The stop 14 may be said to comprise the bottom wall of the receptacle, which wall has the longitudinally spaced opposed recesses 15, 15', in which the flanges 19, 19' are arranged. This particular mounting further reinforces and braces the contacts for an appreciable length of the contacts in the receptacle, it being understood in this connection that the mounting of the contacts in the apertures 16, 16 is snug, but sufliciently free to facilitate the coupling and uncoupling of the contacts.

By reason of the structure disclosed, positive pressure yieldable engagement of the bowed terminal ends 17, 17' of the contacts is maintained on the printed circuit sheet 12.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A contact receptacle for use in connection with printed circuit connectors, said receptacle comprising an elongated body of insulation material having a longitudinal chamber opening through the upper portion thereof, opposed walls of the chamber having longitudinally spaced opposed recesses and intermediate ribs, the recesses and ribs being alined throughout the length of said receptacle, the receptacle at the bottom of said chamber having a wall checking inward movement of a connector, said wall having recessed sides in alinement with the recesses of the chamber of said receptacle and correspondingly alined apertures opening downwardly through the lower surface of the receptacle, independent contacts detachably mounted in the recessed sides of said chamber and extending downwardly through said apertures and having apertured lower ends extending below said receptacle, upper ends of said contacts having opposed inwardly bowed yieldable connector engaging portions, said contacts having means extending into the recesses of said bottom wall in checking downward movement of the contacts in the receptacle and in reinforcing and bracing the contacts at said bottom wall of the receptacle, yieldable means on the contacts adjacent the lower surface of the receptacle and engaging said surface to retain the contacts against upward displacement in said receptacle and permitting detachment of said contacts, the major portion of the length of the contacts being straight, and said bowed yieldable portions and first named means projecting at one side surface of the contacts. 7

2. A contact receptacle for use in connection with printed circuit connectors, said receptacle comprising an elongated body of insulation material having a longitudinal chamber opening through the upper portion thereof, opposed walls of the chamber having longitudinally spaced opposed recesses and intermediate ribs, the recesses and ribs being alined throughout the length of said receptacle, the receptacle at the bottom of said chamber having a wall checking inward movement of a connector, said wall having recessed sides in alinement with the recesses of the chamber of said receptacle and correspondingly alined apertures opening downwardly through the lower surface of the receptacle, independent contacts detachably mounted in the recessed sides of said chamber and extending downwardly through said apertures and having apertured lower ends extending below said receptacle, upper ends of said contacts having opposed inwardly bowed yieldable connector engaging portions, said contacts having means extending into the recesses of said bottom wall in checking downward movement of the contacts in the receptacle and in re inforcing and bracing the contacts at said bottom wall of the receptacle, yieldable means on the contacts adjacent the lower surface of the receptacle and engaging said surface to retain the contacts against upward dis- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,718,529 Coldwell June 25, 1929 2,431,583 Penfold Nov. 25, 1947 2,543,000 Deakin Feb. 27, 1951 2,613,244 Del Camp 0e57, 1952 2,615,950 Lamb Oct: 28, 1952 2,688,123 Benham et al. Ada 31, 1954 2,691,147 Sutton et al. Oct. 5, 1954 2,699,534 Klostermann Jan. 11, 1955 2,741,750 Barre Apr. 10, 1956 2,765,450 Richardson Oct. 2, 1956 2,782,392 Stolle Feb. 19, 1957 OTHER REFERENCES De Jur: Tele-Tech and Electronic Industries, April 1954, page 120. 

